414 ORDER MALACOPTERYGII ABDOMINALES. 



their office. The membrane has four rays ; the first 

 rays of the dorsal, of the pectorals, and even of the 

 ventrals, are stout spines. Neither ccecum nor air- 

 bladder is to be found. We may form two subgenera 

 of these fishes. 



Hypostoma, Lacep., 



Have a second small dorsal, furnished with a single 

 ray, as in callichthys. Their labial veil is simply 

 papillose, and has a small barbel on each side. They 

 have no plates under the belly ; their intestines, 

 spirally convoluted, are as slender as pack-thread, and 

 twelve or fifteen times longer than the body. They 

 are caught in the rivers of South America \ 



Loricaria (properly so called), Lacep., 



Have but a single dorsal in front ; their labial veil is 

 furnished on its edges with several barbels, and is 

 sometimes bristling with villosities ; their belly is 

 furnished with plates underneath ; their intestines are 

 of a moderate thickness 2 . 



The fourth family of the Abdominal Malacopterygii, 

 or that of 



1 Loricaria plecostomus, L., Bl. 374. Hyp. etentaculatum, 

 Spix iv. 



2 Loricaria cataphracta, Linn. ; or L. cirrhosa, BL, Schn., and 

 Seligera, Lacep., Bl. 375. 1, 2. Loric. rostrata, Sp. iii. Rinelepis 

 aspera, Id. ii. Acanthicus hystrix, Id. i. 



